Seismograph cable handling device



March 2, 1954 Filed Aug. 9, 1951 B. W. SEWELL ET AL SEISMOGRAPH CABLE HANDLING DEVICE eb s w, U

CJTSeweZL m. Camp 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 {Snv erzbors dbborrzeg March 1954 B. w. SEWELL ET AL 2,670,926

SEISMOGRAPH CABLE HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-'2 i56 :Qraewe a'jrzv aniborS 5n. m. Cfam o $52 1 (9/ Gbboreg March 5 B. w. SEWELL ET AL 2,670,926

SEISMQGRAPH CABLE HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1951 i5 19 Tu 1E Suarez. MoToR.

PusH 47 bu'r'roN John. Camp Qbg ZO. U, Clbborrzeg 3 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 2, 1954 Stigmata w p CABLE HANDLING DEVICE Ben w. "seweuaiia John M. cam rins kla.,

- assignors td'jStandard oil'Developii ent com- 1T pany,-a corporationjof Delaware 'j ;-namfitatn'agta 9, 1951, s arier-No.Lo it solai s; (01.254-51755) This invention relates to an, apparatus} -that maybe mounted on a truck or other vehicle and employed to pick up seismographcable, hose or the like and deposit it in a random pile in-the truck or to pay out the cable from the truck and lay it on the grounds, H a

In seismic prospecting the depth and probable natureof geological strata beneath the earths surface are ascertainedby initiatinga seismic shock at a selected point at or-near the earth's surface,'the resulting. motion of the earth from seismic waves initiated by the seismic disturbance being detected at a number of points on the earthsv surface by means of sensitive pickups, known as geophones or seismometers, which translate the detected wave motioninto electrical impulses which after suitable amplification can be recorded on a seismograph, From the arrival times of the various reflected waves determined from the seismograph. as-well as from related data obtained in the-area being studied, such as seismic wave velocities in the various earth layers, it is then possible to estimate the depths of the various reflecting substrata. Usually the seismic disturbanceis produced bydeto-v nation of an explosive shot placed on the ground, in a shot hole, or above the surface of the ground and'adjacent thereto. It is common practice to place the geophones inline with the shot point.

and to space them moreor less evenly from each other and from the shot 'point; A suitable multiconductor cable is provided through which the individual geophones can be connectedtqa -recording'station, usually a field with seismograph instruments.

truck, provided When running a seismic survey it is of course necessary to pick up the seismograph; cable and move it each time the locationsof shot hole and geophone spread are changed, In this connec v tion many difiiculties have been eicperiencedzwith the present day mechanical cable reels onwhich theseismograph cable i'sfwoun'd forv s of transporting it to a desired locati Y the major objectionable features is that such equipment is very heavy and .is expensive to manufacture andinstall on the truck; Another objection is that since thespo'olingfof thecable on the reel must be done manually; constant at tention of "the operatoris required. Furt er;

more, if the cable should become snagged the inertia of the reel will cause damage to'the cable. Thelcable also tends to become damaged because of the stresses set up in winding vthecable on the relatively small diameter of the'barrel offt'hereel.

he re invention is .c ce hediifwithianmi:

Q2511) a. a. proved. cable handling device that -;overcome s; these difiicultiesa Qneobject of this nventionis to providega cable handling mechanism ithat -will reel inand. pay out the cable with a minimum of:,damage;..to,-

. the cable and at the,same;; time;minimize 11 01 eliminate manual handling pigthecable: ;.Another object is to provide a cable handling .device; that is simple and relativelyinexpensivet cone struct and yet is eminent] v vvelI'su' ed or the.

purpose.

Briefly the invention l involves Ia; mechanism: comprising a framework that;is;;rnountable ;,on- ;a-

truck body, a pair; of yvheels roi ;a tably. supported by the fra e sothat theawheels. ie in,th.em samee a an of re timate al;0n1the.;rim of; each wheel, and means for; rotating; one; of the,

under compression. Preferably, the; resilient bands have more resilienceat their centers than atthe edges so that when the cable is inserted between them it willtendg to stay centered and? not work out frombetwecnthe wheelsw Pneu mat ic tires, forexample thosedesignedw-forsmall diameter wheels such as are used on power lawn mowers, wheelbarrows and;the.- like', areideally suited forthe purpose. -By-;inse rtin the cable not become tangled if itis allowed; to fall freely into a random pile. Wear-and -tear;on the cable-- are minimized because the small diameter flexing that occurs with the usuat practice of winding the cable on a reel is eliminated; Becauseot the i f s enc f th 1. 1??? at; .thfi' t e r: of theirtreads than at the edges ct; the treads; ob--- jects oi lar ger diameter than the cable such as take-911i P s dl nspess h puenine vice it o a so, hisgreater esilie ce keeps the cable centered between the tires.- 3

The nature and objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the ensuing descriptionwhen read in conjunction withv the drawings in which Fig. l isaschematic-diagram" showing the method of mountingtthe device 12 provide-:-

this invention on the rear of a truck to v f l n in we v n ;qut-thm bl m Figure .2- is a side-elevational view partl-y 3 section, of the major portion of a specific embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a top view, partly in section, of the embodiment of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional side view taken on line IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly sectioned, showingmounting and fastening details of the; apparatus; and

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of control circuit arrangement for practicing the invention.

Referring specifically to Figure 1, one form of apparatus embodying the invention is shown mounted on the back of a truck H.- A socliet- I2 is provided on the truck floor if to receive a' mounting tube 13 which is held in place and braced by a crossbar l4. Mounting tube t3 sup ports a frame holding wheels l6 protected by a case or cover I5 as is more clearly shown Fig ures 2, 3 and 4. One of the wheels I6 is driven by a motor l-8= whose drivesnart IS makes frictional engagement with the outerportrefiof wheel. Since the two wheels- 16' are-resilient engagement it willbe seen that as they are rotated in the proper direction cable 2 will be pulled between them a'nd placed ina random pile 21' on the truck floor ML The truck floor or bed therefore serves-as abase support-011 which cable can be piled, free-of the neumatic'nres'. As will be shown the mechanismma beturned through 180 on the support so that the wheels may pay out cable from thetruck without changing the direction of rotationorthe' wheels-or the motor. Figures 2,13 and are elevation'al, tomand side sectional "views respectively of one embodiment of the inventions A supporting frame 26 which may conveniently be a piece 1 of channel iron has welded toit in perpendicular relation a eyl'iri'd'ri-' calrod 24 of suchsize' thatit-will fit' slidably-an'd' rotatably into mounting' tube -i The purpose of groove 25 adjaeent the' bottom of rodf f'isex? plained later in connection with Figure5 Welded to -the ends'of frame'lfi are' nuts 2-! which r'eceive' bolts28 so that protective ca'se I-E'maiy be'detach--' ably mounted to the'framet- A flaeeress piece right angles to the-lattertoprovide a support" to which the lip portions- 3D of the caseniay be con-'- venientl'y attached by nut and bolt-assemblies 31'.

The lip portions 3'8 provide convenient guide means for the cable as'shown in-'Fig ure'-'l.-

Thread'edaaxle shafts 3-2 are vertically sup which are mounted pneumatic tires 35:

of the case along line 31. p

Also welded toframeifi is a plate 39 to which motor I8'is attached b'ybolts 40 so that the drive" shaft l9' will- 'frictional-lyengage one of 'theti-res 35. Preferably shaft l 9 has a resilient sleeve 3 8 fitted over-it f or more efficient frictional engage ment with the tire: Conveniently this sleeve may comprise a piece of garden hose, for"examplez" A friction drive" of this "type-ispreferred over a" di rect drive for reasons of safetyl This sobecause such a uriveos characterized by the met that it provides slippage *betw'en thewhel and 1 the motor or other-' power source when the-load applied to the wheel exceeds' -a predetermined value;

As shown in'Figureofro'dflffits snda iy ana I retatalblww-itliin meet-innermos I-3 and is -held 5 4 against vertical movement by removable pin 4! which engages slot 25 and thereby prevents rod 24 from jumping out of tube l3 when the apparatus is in use. Slots 42 are cut into tube I3 to form clamp portions 43 to which are attached lugs 44 that receive a clamp screw 45 so that rod 24 may be clamped against rotational movement when desired; Thus it is pfo's'sjible to employ a simple motor 18 Having a constant direction of rotation and yet use the apparatus for reeling cable or for paying out cable merely by rotating the'entire assembly on supporting tube l3 and clamping it in the proper position. The device :1 may also stomped at any selected angle when it is desired tepsy out cable to one side of the road as menu-e12 moves along the road.

A rod 5'! may be-fastened to the case to provideadditipnal guide means on the intake side of the evice, the cable passing between the rod and the lip portion 3 0,. v U v Conveniently rriotor it may comprise simply an automobile starter motor whose' s peed ma be controlled by a rhebstat. A suitable circuit for starting and stopping the motor andj for controlling its speed is shownschematically in Figf' ure 6 and consists essentially of'a'batteryor other power'sou'rce i'i} a push buttonor equivalent Sui-felling e l 19 ytfifiend a rhi 't 50. Release" of the push. button will stop the more e m fai uflbfi i fis at vantages in safety over a} mechahicaily thrown switcne I It is notmanage this v :ion be limited to the specific embodiments thereof as;-

described herein as 1ons'thereo faref coritemplated; The invention is to" be limited onlythe f0l1owingclaims. What is-clainied'is:

1; A1 device adapted to"re1j1 ih cable afn'e to ay supported by said-frame; said ltires lying in essen many the same planefwitli the treads engaging each other under co 'p1'essiofn, a s'ource of power s for driving said' tires'i drive means to' transfer said powertoat messenger-Sam ireg aga drive 1 means being adapted to; p

the was applieolto said tires on eds a prede-f termined valuepa'nd a laterally extensive base .m'ember to v'rl'rich'said supportin f'rajiii is fixenif J Y? e owin e s'a-id meswherby'sameness g 'through the tir'e's said base member lying subst may collect in a randon'r sneer: the "base membe'rclear o'f th tires. I

2. The device definedby 'cl'aim I' -i supporting fram includes-means' to p tion of said paired tires 1 n} e ita-e in" 3. Device accordingt c' la i nr 1 'in whiclr said U oye'fhaving'afdriving; axle comprising said drive; means; said'j driving axleresilientlyengaging the tread'iof one ofsaid" power source-is ia pr im port'ed by said tube andehgalgsable with" mounte on a vehie'le and said n m -2:1 a selected positi from said vehicle which said on tdreel in or payou't cable 5. Deviceaccording to with "was; asemeans for said cable supported by said frame adjacent at least one end of the line of contact of said tires.

6. A device adapted to reel in cable and to pay out cable comprising in combination: a supporting frame, a pair of pneumatic tires rotatably supported by said frame, said tires lyin in essentially the same plane with the treads engaging each other under compression, power drive 'means for driving said tires, said drive means being adapted to limit the driving force applied to the tires to a predetermined value whereby breakage of the cable reeled between the tires is prevented in the event the cable becomes snagged during operation, and a laterally extensive base member, to which said supporting frame is fixed, said base member lying substantially below the said tires whereby cable passing through the tires may collect in a random pile on the base member clear of the tires.

BEN W. SEWELL. JOHN M. CAMP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

